In a significant move on Friday, China confirmed that its extensive anti-corruption campaign, led by President Xi Jinping, has now reached the highest levels of the People’s Liberation Army. A prominent military commander has been stripped of his position and will face prosecution on serious charges of corruption and abuse of power.
The officer in question is General He Weidong, a key figure in China’s military establishment. As a member of the powerful 24-member Politburo and a vice chairman of the Central Military Commission—the body overseeing the armed forces—he held the third-highest position in China’s military hierarchy, directly beneath President Xi Jinping and one other commander.
Caption: General He Weidong, shown in his military dress uniform, has been expelled along with eight other senior military officers from their posts and the ruling Communist Party. (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)
The Ministry of National Defense announced that General He, along with eight other senior military officers, had been expelled from both the military and the Communist Party. Some of these individuals were already subject to rumors or known investigations, and General He’s disappearance from public view earlier this year had hinted at his impending trouble.
While the ministry did not provide specific details regarding the alleged misdeeds of General He and the other commanders, it confirmed that the charges were related to corruption.
“The punishments underscore the clear stance that there is absolutely no place for corrupt elements to hide within the military,” stated Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesman for the ministry, on its official website. He added a positive spin, suggesting that these actions would “further strengthen the purity” of the military and foster “greater cohesion and combat effectiveness.”
Some experts have suggested that these recent graft investigations and the resulting disruption within the military command might have eroded President Xi’s confidence in the People’s Liberation Army’s readiness for significant combat operations. However, Colonel Zhang maintained an optimistic view.
Among the other expelled commanders are Admiral Miao Hua, who previously oversaw political work in the military and was placed under investigation last year. Also dismissed was General Lin Xiangyang, who commanded the Eastern Theater Command. This regional command is strategically vital for any potential conflict involving Taiwan, the democratically governed island that Beijing claims as its own territory.
Mark Parker Young, a former U.S. deputy national intelligence officer for East Asia, offered a recent assessment of China’s military purges, writing that President Xi’s “willingness to sacrifice institutional cohesion and capacity in the P.L.A. suggests he still does not anticipate fighting a war in the near-term.”
These dismissals were announced just days before a crucial Communist Party leadership meeting. This four-day gathering of the Central Committee, commencing on Monday, will provide President Xi an opportunity to appoint new commanders and consolidate his authority.
Soon after assuming power in 2012, President Xi initiated a sweeping campaign against corruption and disloyalty, both within the military and across other sectors. High-ranking former commanders were imprisoned on various charges, including bribery and selling military promotions. After a brief lull, these anticorruption investigations within the P.L.A. regained intensity following President Xi’s third term in 2022, signaling his belief that deep-seated issues persist.
At 68, General He is the highest-ranking commander to fall in this renewed campaign. His ascent through the ranks was largely due to President Xi’s patronage, making his downfall potentially embarrassing for the top leader.
President Xi dramatically elevated General He to the Politburo in 2022, where he also became one of two vice chairmen of the Central Military Commission. Prior to this, General He had held key positions, including service in Fujian, the Chinese province directly opposite Taiwan, and as commander of the Eastern Theater Command.
Late last year, authorities announced the suspension of Admiral Miao Hua, due to suspected “serious violations of discipline.” He had also served on the Central Military Commission, albeit at a lower rank than General He. Furthermore, last year, Communist Party leaders formally accused two former defense ministers—General Li Shangfu and General Wei Fenghe—of corruption, including accepting massive bribes and engaging in the trade of military promotions.
In 2023, President Xi abruptly removed two commanders of the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force, which is responsible for controlling China’s nuclear missiles. Over a dozen other military officers and senior executives in defense industry companies have also been purged, all seemingly as a result of ongoing anticorruption investigations.
Despite these significant upheavals in its top leadership, the Chinese military has continued its rapid expansion and modernization of weaponry. This year, the party-run legislature approved a 7.2 percent increase in the defense budget, bringing official military spending to approximately $246 billion. Many experts, however, believe China’s true military expenditures are considerably higher.
Decades of uninterrupted rising military spending have allowed China to acquire an increasing number of sophisticated missiles, warships, and submarines. American intelligence officials have reported that President Xi has mandated the P.L.A. be capable of seizing Taiwan by 2027.
“In most systems, repeated purges of senior military leaders would trigger crisis or resistance,” noted Craig Singleton, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, who specializes in China’s military. “Xi’s ability to churn and burn through top generals without sparking significant institutional pushback reveals the strength, not fragility, of his rule.”